Do you see what I am seeing?

“There have been ----- terror attacks in America, ------ terror attacks in Europe, ------- attacks in Russia since Jan this year.” Chidambaram says in the press conference on 14^th morning- the morning after the terror attacks in Mumbai; some 14 hours after the incident.

‘Did he spend the whole night collecting this statistics?’ I wonder. Would it not have been better if he had reviewed the security lapses and the efforts being taken to track the culprits? How is he different from Shivraj Patil, his predecessor who was accused of changing his dress 3 times within 2 hours of a terror attack?

“I have spent lot of time with New York police, London police, Moscow police….and there are intelligence gaps everywhere”, bragged Chidambaram again when asked about intelligence failure.

‘Kaash….he had spent half the time with Indian police”, I could not help thinking. ‘He/ his NATGRID could have prevented these attacks…’.

There was “no intelligence input to state or central agencies” another declaration by PC.

Initially I thought ‘what nonsense?’ Then I realized ‘Brilliant.’ If he had said that there was intelligence, people would be asking him what action he took to prevent the blasts. At least that was what media did to Shivraj Patil in the aftermath of 26/11- why did he not act on the intelligence available? Since there was no intelligence, all uncomfortable questions have been put to rest!

“After 31 months, the incident took place yesterday evening. Mumbai police have protected the city and its residents for 31 months…” Another piece of wisdom from PC! He emphasized this “31 months” as much as he could.

As if 31 months is a permissible period! As if 29 or 30 months would have been bad! As If the Govt. cannot be held responsible, if the attack happened more than 31 months after the previous one!

Don’t you see his subtle and smart efforts to justify the failures? How could he get into this defensive mode when 18 people have lost their lives and hundreds have been hospitalized the previous night? Is he more a “lawyer” than a “minister”? No problem. But let him stop being a minister.

Conveniently for him, he does not have to face- media also does not force him to face- the following uncomfortable questions.

“Nobody, no terrorist fears this Govt.”, said a commoner in Zaveri Bazaar in a TV channel.

“Why such attacks are not repeated in New York or in London? How the terrorists manage to strike Mumbai…that too Zaveri bazaar again and again?” asked a passenger in a local train.

“Is the Govt. serious in containing terrorism?”

“Why Kasab has not been hanged till date? Why Afzal Guru has not been hanged yet? How much the Govt. has spent on their security? Why is it not spending even the allocated budget for buying equipments?”

I see a pattern in his approach.

Step 1. Propose something big- a grand idea, some restructuring/ revamp of your ministry. Promise the impossible. Remember his NATGRID, NIA, etc.- that they will be developing and integrating such an impressive data base that they can prevent any terror attack. Even as recent as Jul 6 he was boasting in a TV interview that NATRGRID can prevent any terror attack! This will not only keep you in the headlines for a few days but also keep the media engaged.

Step 2. When the unexpected happens, initially blame someone; deny the existence of something obvious; do this blatantly. Bindoss. Remember he blamed Maharashtra police when there was a goof up in the list of 50 most wanted criminals. Remember how used to blame state governments (West Bengal or Chattisgarh or Orissa) whenever there was a naxal attack. Remember there are no minutes of the many meetings between him and A Raja. (In this regard Modi and Gujarat Govt. should learn from PC. Why, in the first place, did they keep records of 2002 riots? Only because they had kept the records, it received universal condemnation when they destroyed! See PC. He does not keep minutes of his meetings with A Raja and both are lawyers!) Now he claims there was no intelligence regarding Mumbai blasts. For the media, whoever makes the first noise gets the attention.

Step 3. When holes are punctured in his initial arguments, send your deputies to apologize or make corrections. Remember it was G K Pillai who admitted that there was no mistake on the part of Maharashtra police. Now it appears that there was intelligence-an IM guy arrested by UP ATS earlier this year head warned of this. As usual we are not hearing much from PC. May be he is looking for a “bakrah” to apologize on his behalf.

Repeat the above sequence 2-3 times till it becomes too obvious even to the friendly media.

Then shift to some other ministry!

Not ready to believe me.

How was his performance as Finance Minister? No different.

Read Arun Shourie’s “Main hun na school of budgeting”, “Jo hyper bole so nihaal”. You can see the same pattern.

How he talked big about NREGA in his budget speech, but did not allocate any additional funds! He simply diverted the allocations to existing schemes.

How he boasted about a Rs. 60,000 loan waiver scheme and there was no provision for the same in the budget!

How he did not provide for 5^th pay commission recommendations in the budget whereas the budget speech included the same.

How he emphasized the importance of national rain water harvesting programme, only to provide a paltry Rs. 50 cr. (There were arithmetical errors in the allocation also.)

2-3 years of the above. People, RBI Governor, SEBI Chairman and Media started seeing the pattern. Unfortunately for the country and fortunately for him, 26/11 happened. He was shifted to Home Ministry.

I can see these things.

I am sure you are also seeing them.

In fact everyone can see them…..

……Except the Congress and Media!